WEBVTT JUST MINUTES AFTER THE STORMEDRIPPED THROUGH.JON.JON: LET ME TELL YOU, FOR THEFIRST TIME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS,THE SUN IS SHINING IN JEFFERSONCOUNTY.THAT WAS NOT THE CASE EARLIERTHIS AFTERNOON.THIS IS THE ABC LIQUOR STORENEAR THE WESTERN HILLS MALL.TAKE A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE LEFTBEHIND BY THE EF2 TORNADO.YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE ISLEVELS ON THE OUTSIDE.YOU HAVE GOT THE SECTION ON THELEFT WHICH IS THE STORAGE AREAFOR THE LIQUOR, AND THE SHOWROOMHERE.PEOPLE CAN PICK OUT THEIRALCOHOL.THE ROOMS IN THE CENTER WERELEFT SENDING -- STANDING.THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OFWHEN YOU ARE SEEKING SHELTER,YOU SHOULD PICK THE INNER ROOMLIKE A CLOSET OR KIND OF THINGON THE INTERSECTION OF A HOME TOPROTECT YOU.WE DID GET INFORMATION ABOUT ASHELTER THAT WILL BE OPENING INA FEW HOURS.THERE IS A ROLLERSKATING RINKBEHIND SEARS.YOU MAY KNOW WHERE THAT IS.IT IS A ROLLERSKATING RINKBEHIND THE SEARS THAT SHOULD BEOPENING SHORTLY, THE RED CROSSWILL BE THERE WITH SNACKS ANDFOOD.THEY WILL HAVE GENERATORS.THAT AREA IS WITHOUT POWER.WE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, IT WASPASSED CHAOS.WE GOT TO INTERVIEW SOMEWITNESSES, INCLUDING ONE WHO WASPREGNANT.THEY GOT IN THE STORE ANDWATCHED THE TORNADO.>> WE WERE LOCKED IN THE CAR, SOWE HAD TO OPEN THE DOORS, WECOULD HEAR SOMEONE SCREAMING.WE WERE JUST TRYING TO GET TO ANAMBULANCE OR POLICE.SOMEONE CALLED THEM, AND THEYCOME OUT.FIREFIGHTERS HAD COME.WE WERE LUCKY TO GET THE HELP WEGOT.JON: THEY WERE COUNTING THEIRBLESSINGS THIS AFTERNOON.ALL TOLD, THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLEINJURED, WOMEN INSIDE THISBUILDING AND A GENTLEMAN AT THEHOUSING COMPLEX DOWN THE ROAD.MINOR INJURIES, TRANSPORTED TOTHE HOSPITAL.IF YOU LOOK AT THE DAMAGE HEREAND BUSINESSES NEARBY, KFC ANDEXPRESS AUTO ZONE, COMPLETEDESTRUCTION, BUT NO ONE INJURED,SOME GOOD NEWS THERE, AND THESUN SHINING IN FAIRFIELD.JON PAEPCKE, WVTM 13.SHERI: WE HAVE BEEN TALKINGABOUT THIS FOR DAYS.LISA: THAT'S RIGHT, AND THENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TELLSUS THAT BEING AWARE WHEN STORMSARE COMING IN SAVES LIVES.>> THE FACT EVERYONE HAS BEENPROMOTING THIS FOR SEVERAL DAYS,EVERYONE WAS WHETHER AWARE.MAKES IT SAFER FOR US.LISA: AS BAD AS IT LOOKS INFAIRFIELD, IT COULD HAVE WORSE.SHERI: FAIRFIELD POLICE CHIEFNICK DYER SAID HIS CITY ISBLESSED.>> IT IS JUST A TRAGEDY.WE ARE BLESSED THAT WE HAD SOMUCH, SO MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIESRESPOND, BIRMINGHAM, FAIRFIELD.WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP.WE ARE JUST TRYING TO -- WE AREIN THE PROCESS OF SEEING THEDAMAGE.>> YOU LOOK AT THE DAMAGE ANDSEE HOW EXTENSIVE IT IS.>> YES WE ARE BLESSED., SHERI: FIRST RESPONDERS INFAIRFIELD ALSO IN THE PATH OFTHE TORNADO.LISA: FIRE STATION NUMBER TWOWAS HIT HARD.TREES CRASHED DOWN ON THEBUILDING.

4 injured after EF2 tornado touches down in Alabama

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Updated: 7:40 PM MDT Jun 22, 2017

The National Weather Service is reporting that an EF2 tornado with 120 mph winds touched down in Fairfield, Alabama on Thursday.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue has responded to the Fairfield area, where several buildings were damaged. An Express Oil Change collapsed and an ABC liquor store was destroyed by the storm.

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Officials at the scene tell WVTM 13's Jon Paepcke that four people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Three of the victims were in the liquor store and the fourth was at a nearby housing project, Fairfield Police Chief Nick Dyer said.

An Express Oil Change spokesperson said five employees escaped unharmed. Some of the workers sought shelter in a lube pit.

Police said there was some looting at the liquor store, but authorities have since secured the scene.

There also reports of damaged buildings in an area near Ensley Avenue and Interstate 59, fire officials said on social media. Fallen power lines and trees have forced police to close a portion of Ensley Ave. V near 13th Street.

Alabama Power reported at 4 p.m. that there were 17,000 outages in the Birmingham metro, including 9,000 in the area of Fairfield, Midfield and Pratt City.